Hands are very important to a person. You can do a lot of work with your fingers. However, when joint problems begin, certain difficulties arise. Sometimes it's difficult for a person to perform normal movements, let alone the best work with small details. Naturally, this affects the quality of life, so it is important to monitor your health. But what to do if your finger joints are already sore? The cause and treatment of this pathology will depend on many factors. The age of the patient plays an important role. Of course, people after 40 years are more prone to inflammatory processes. However, both young people and children may complain of joint pain. What is the cause? Let's think about it.
Painful finger joints: causes
Your joints won't hurt as easily. There must be a reason for this. In medicine, it is believed that such symptoms are directly related to certain injuries and diseases. The latter include:
- Joint pain.
- Stenosing ligamentitis.
- Arthrosis.
- Gout.
- Bursitis.
- Osteomyelitis.
Of course, these are not all the reasons that can cause pain in the finger joints. The most common ones are presented above. So let's get to know them in more detail.
Joint pain
Do your finger joints hurt? What to do in this situation? Of course, the first thing you should do is see a doctor. The fact is that these symptoms can be caused by either a simple injury or a rather serious illness that requires specific treatment. The sooner you start it, the easier it is to achieve positive results.
Most people in retirement age begin to experience joint pain. They usually suffer from arthritis. The inflammatory process can occur in an acute or chronic form. It is worth paying attention to the fact that arthritis does not only affect the joints of the fingers, but also others. A person suffering from this disease feels a sharp pain. They do not stop even when resting.
Both women and men are at risk. However, in the latter, the disease appears less often. Unfortunately, children are not protected from this pathology. They are most often diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. To date, this species has not been fully studied. But the consequences are quite serious. Some children not only have difficulty moving their fingers, but may also be disabled for life. Scientists believe that this disease is caused by an improper function of the immune system. Children under the age of 16 are at risk.
Rheumatoid arthritis is of a different nature. Caused by infectious diseases and allergies. The danger of this type is that without treatment, the acute form becomes chronic. Such a person will be restricted in movement and always in pain.
In any case, treatment cannot be carried out independently, because it is necessary to know the type of arthritis and the causes that cause the disease. The first thing you should do is visit a doctor. After the examination, he will prescribe treatment.
Here are the steps used by the doctor if the joint on the finger hurts:
- How to treat a patient if he is diagnosed with an infectious disease? In most cases, antibiotics are used.
- To relieve inflammation, patients are given drugs such as NSAIDs.
- Chondroprotectors are urgently needed to stop the destructive process.
- Gymnastics training is prescribed, including in the swimming pool.
- Dieting.
Arthrosis
If you are wondering why the joint on your finger hurts, then there may be several reasons for this pathology. One of them is a disease like arthrosis. It is formed due to the destruction of cartilage tissue. This happens sequentially. At first, the person does not feel any discomfort. Painful sensations can appear only after physical activity, and for quite a long time. However, after a certain period of time, their character becomes more intense. The pain occurs even at night. This indicates that the disease is beginning to develop.
For those who suffer from chronic arthrosis and severe pain in the thumb joint, doctors diagnose it as "rhizarthrosis. "This disease has three stages of development. It can be triggered by several reasons. They can be congenital and acquired. In the first case, articular joint dysplasia was diagnosed. Rhizarthrosis also appears as a result of obesity, metabolic disorders or severe trauma. If treatment is not started on time, this threatens not only the destruction of cartilage, but also articular ligaments, and all nearby bone structures are affected.
The main symptom of rhizarthrosis, of course, is pain. However, this is not the only thing that accompanies this disease. Patients may also feel characteristic irritation when moving the fingers, decreased movement and numbness. All this complements the swelling and redness of the skin. If your finger joints are swollen and painful, then it's time to see a doctor. The fact is that it is easier to cure rhizarthrosis in the first stage than in the last stage. It's rare, but surgery may still be necessary.
Diseases such as arthrosis are common. People of all ages are at risk. Even minor injuries can trigger it. With arthrosis, the joints are greatly modified, which affects the shape of the fingers.
Bursitis
If the inflammatory process appears in the periarticular bursa, this means that a disease such as bursitis is developing. It is accompanied by fluid accumulation. Inflammation occurs after a severe bruise or abrasion. This disease is also caused by a certain type of microbe - pyogenic. People with this pathology experience pain in the joints of their fingers and toes. In addition, inflammation can spread throughout the body. Fluid accumulates in the shoulder, knee, elbow and hip joints.
In medicine, two forms of the disease are distinguished: acute and chronic. It starts with the first one. At the initial stage, a person feels severe pain, which increases significantly with joint movement. A somewhat elastic swelling appears. It comes in different diameters. When the disease begins to develop, the pain does not stop at night, even if the hand remains immobile. Also during bursitis, redness of the skin, swelling of limbs and hypothermia are observed.
If left untreated, the acute form becomes chronic. The latter has milder symptoms. One's finger joints are more or less painful. You can not refuse treatment, because chronic bursitis does not exclude an increase in fluid, which can lead to the formation of a cystic cavity. Also, the inflammatory process leads to the formation of calcium deposits in the diseased joint area. To reduce the patient's condition as much as possible, you need to secure the limb well with an elastic bandage. This will protect you from involuntary movements, which cause severe pain. After this, you need to consult an orthopedic traumatologist. He will choose anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as anesthetics that can be taken for acute pain.
Gout
If the joints of the fingers of your right or left hand are painful, then gout may be the cause of this unpleasant sensation. This disease is considered the most common. Often found in older people. The cause of its occurrence is a violation of uric acid metabolism (sodium crystals are deposited in the tissues). Most people think that gout can only occur on the feet around the big toe. However, it is not. In some people, such formations may also occur on the upper fingers.
The inflammatory process is accompanied by swelling, severe redness, pain, and peeling of the skin. Even microtrauma, physical activity, stress, infectious diseases, etc. can be provoking factors. This disease manifests itself quickly. Within a few hours, you will see all the symptoms mentioned above. Patients often have a high temperature, which causes chills or fever. In the acute form of gout, the finger joints are very painful. Even the slightest touch can significantly increase the unpleasant sensation.
With this disease, it is important to strictly follow the diet. It is selected individually by the doctor for each patient. Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited. Patients should drink at least two liters of water and juice every day. To remove uric acid from the blood, the patient is given anti-gout medication. However, you should not expect quick results, because its use can last for years. They are only prescribed by a doctor. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also be added to them.
Stenosing ligamentitis
If a child experiences pain in his finger joints, this may be due to a pathology called stenosing ligamentitis. It develops in the ligament-tendon apparatus. When this disease occurs, not only one finger, but several fingers may be stuck in a bent position. In children it shows itself starting from the first year of life. However, they are not the only ones at risk. Adults can also get stenosing ligamentitis. Often these people are those who have reached retirement age.
The reasons that trigger this disease in children are due to unbalanced development. That is, the annular ligament grows more slowly than the tendon. Because of this, an imbalance occurs. It causes the ligament to press on the tendon. For this reason, easily felt compaction occurs. When bending the fingers, the child may feel a characteristic click in certain joints.
The cause of stenosing ligamentitis in adults is an inflammatory process, the focus is on the tendon. This is what causes pain in the finger joints. Here are other things that can trigger the development of this disease:
- Overload.
- Ancestry.
- Improper structure of tendons and annular ligaments.
- Some diseases (diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and others).
Symptoms of stenosing ligamentitis:
- click when bending;
- pain when pressed;
- compaction formation;
- restriction in movement.
The first two symptoms correspond to the first stage of the disease. A seal is formed on the second. But in the third stage, the patient can no longer straighten his fingers independently. This can only be done through surgery. However, such treatment is used in rather complicated cases. It is better to start developing ligaments and tendons in the early stages of the disease, doing a special physical therapy complex.
injury
Do your finger joints hurt? The cause may be the disease described above or dislocation. The latter is provoked by bone displacement. Often, athletes face this pathology. However, the average person is not protected from dislocation. This type of injury has specific symptoms. These include severe pain, swelling of the affected area and joint deformity.
Of course, any finger can be sprained. However, the large ones are the most vulnerable to this. The fact is that he remains unprotected if he moves incorrectly. Although this finger ligament device is quite strong, it is easy to sprain regardless of the load. This pathology can also develop if you accidentally fall on your hands. A person immediately experiences severe pain, after which (for about an hour) the limb swells and there may be redness.
Of course, you won't be able to live your normal lifestyle if your thumb joint hurts. How to treat a dislocation or sprain? If possible, you should see a doctor. At the appointment, pictures are taken to rule out fractures or displacement. In the first minute, it is advisable to apply something cold. Warm compresses are recommended afterwards. Analgesics are taken to reduce pain. Ointments that have an analgesic effect are also very helpful.
Osteomyelitis
This disease is accompanied by a purulent process that can affect not only the joints, but the whole body. It even penetrates into the bone marrow. The seriousness of this pathology cannot be underestimated. The inflammatory process is infectious. It spreads to all nearby tissues. Over time, the lesions increase, increasing. Necrosis occurs due to poor circulation.
Children most often experience hematogenous osteomyelitis. This type of disease occurs due to the fact that microorganisms enter the bone tissue with blood. If the infection occurs after a fracture or other injury, then the doctor diagnoses "post-traumatic osteomyelitis. "
symptoms:
- finger joints very painful;
- there is pain and dizziness;
- the temperature rises;
- the injured area swells and becomes red;
- finger movements are impossible due to acute pain;
- pus starts coming out through the skin.
Surgery is considered the most effective treatment. However, it can also be combined with medication. The latter is necessary to prevent bacteria from spreading throughout the body. In the case of osteomyelitis, folk remedies are considered ineffective.
My finger joints hurt. Treatment
Treatment of this pathology is only necessary in a complex way. It consists of three tasks:
- Eliminate the root cause.
- Relieves pain.
- Restore function.
As mentioned above, treatment should be selected individually in each case. Naturally, when choosing a particular method, doctors take into account the cause of severe pain, symptoms, and the level of inflammation. There are medical and surgical treatments.
However, if one does not have the opportunity to visit the hospital, then one can only try to reduce the pain syndrome. Painkillers are suitable for this purpose. But it is important to remember that they do not eliminate the main cause, so after the effect of the drug wears off, a relapse is sure to occur. If the pain is very severe, then the ointment will help increase the effect of the tablet.
Traditional method
What to do if your finger joints hurt? In this case, folk remedies can also be used:
- Propolis with vegetable oil.Used as an ointment. Both vegetable and corn oil will do. The ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Ointment is applied to the skin of the affected area.
- Caucasian hellebore.This type of plant is used to prepare an ointment that perfectly relieves pain. To prepare it, you need to take the same amount of honey as there is in hellebore. To these ingredients add unrefined vegetable oil, literally a few drops, and a pinch of dry mustard. All this is mixed until smooth, then heated in a water bath. Apply to the affected area before going to bed.
- Raw potatoes.Vegetables are grated, slightly heated, placed on a bandage or gauze and applied to the fingers.
- Elecampane root.Used as a tincture. The roots are crushed and then filled with vodka. It is necessary to insist for 14 days in a place where sunlight does not penetrate. It relieves inflammation perfectly if you use it every day, rubbing it into the joints.
Conclusion
Based on the information presented above, we can conclude that if the finger joint hurts, then this should not be ignored under any circumstances. The fact is that such symptoms can be the first sign of a serious illness. If you start treatment on time, then in 99% of cases the result will be positive. Today, medicine offers quite effective methods, you just need to see a doctor and be examined.